Earth and Fire
by aquafreak
Summary: The typical moments of The Blind Bandit and The Blue Spirit at the Western Air Temple.
1. Training

Earth and Fire, Zuko ant Toph fanfic

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Avatar.

Characters © Avatar: Last Airbender - Viacom

Story © Aquafreak

* * *

Something has been bothering Zuko all the time. Yes, he's the fire lord. Yes, he's with the Avatar and company. Yet, he still have those sleepless nights. It's not about his uncle Iroh, or even his Miss perfect sister Azula. He's sleepless because of what he have done to Mei. He broke her heart. And he wanted her back. But he can't. If her uncle, the warden of the Boiling rock (known as the High Security prison of the Fire Nation), he's damn dead.

He just simply watched the fire roaring about. They're in the Western Air Temple. All of them are asleep. Well, not all of them. Toph's not there.

" _Where's Toph?_ " Zuko thought. Suddenly he heard the ground quaking below, by the forest. He's the one who can hear it. He 'borrowed' Aang's glider for a while and went to the forest. At least he has the smarts to use the glider.

" No good, **NO GOOD!** Why is my earthbending weak? " Toph asked to herself. The ground's quakes can see the fire beneath the earth's crust. She had made massive destruction. This is her training style. She earthbended again using the attacks that she knew. " Why did my bending powers weaken..? "

" Maybe you needed new moves. A motivation, perhaps. " a familiar voice said. It's Zuko.

" **Who are you? I don't need your advice!** " Toph said angrily then she stomped the ground. A fist-like figure came to uppercut Zuko and he flew to the direction where Toph is facing.

**- Western Air Temple -**

Katara woke up, hearing Zuko's scream. " _Hunh? What's that.? Zuko..? You having a nightmare? _" She rubbed her eyes and saw Zuko flying. But she thought it was a bird. " _Whatever. Maybe I'm having hallucinations.. _ " Katara said as she slept.

**- back to Zuko and Toph -**

After a few minutes, Zuko landed the ground face first.

" Owww...I shoulda stayed there after all..._fuck_..." he said.

" ZUKO! " she hurriedly ran to Zuko, checking his body. " I-I'm Sorry Zuko! I didn't knew that it was you! Are you okay? "

" Do I have to answer...? OW! " he replied, yelping in pain.

" I'll make it up to you tomorrow morning... Umm... why are you here? "Toph asked.

" I _was_ the one who will ask that. I'm just checking on you. "

" In midnight? "

" I just unexpectedly woke up. And I heard you earthbending here at the forest. So I 'borrowed' Aang's glider. "

" I'm always okay. I'm just training myself. I feel that my earthbending is weak... "

" No it's not. " Zuko said, looking around Toph's wonderful earthbending results. " I find it very destructive... "

" Like yours? "

" What 'yours'? "

" Your firebending. I find it cool. "

" I think you needed new moves..for earthbending.. sadly, I'm a firebender and I have no idea what are the maneuvers for that. "

" Nah. It's okay. I felt a little stronger after giving you my kind of uppercut. "

" Let's go. If Aang and the others found out that we're not there... "

" I know. I'll just...going to do this.. " Toph said. " You better be not near my range for now. "

" O-okay..." Zuko said, as he went backward.

With a deep breath, Toph started earthbending. Zuko was just watching her do her thing. After a few minutes, a stairway is seen.

" Wow. " he said, clapping his hands.

" You going or not? " Toph said, offering a hand.

" I sure do. " Zuko said as he took Toph's hand and they ran at the stairway.


	2. Surprise Attack

Chapter two - Surprise Attack

** DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Avatar.

Characters © Avatar: Last Airbender - Viacom

Story © aquafreak

* * *

The next morning, Aang woke up from his slumber. He rubbed his eyes then began to go sightseeing his surroundings. Sokka snoring, Katara sleeping, Suki sleeping, Momo sleeping, Toph and Zuko talking to each other with tea...

" **TOPH AND ZUKO TALKING TO EACH OTHER?** " Aang exclaimed. The two looked at him.

" Twinkle-toes, you're up. You have a nightmare? " Toph asked, drinking her tea.

" I think...I'm in one. " the airbender answered.

" We just have a field trip a while ago because we can't sleep. " Zuko smiled.

" Umm...putting that aside, you want to go hunting for our breakfast and sort? "

" Sure! " she exclaimed.

" Okay, I'll just wake up Sokka so we can start. " Aang said as he kicked Sokka hard ten times. " **SOKKA WAKE UP!** "

"_ Hrmsgf? Don't bother me. I'm tiiiiredd.._ " Sokka replied drowsily.

" Don't wake up, you won't be tasting **MEAT**, ever! Now get up or bust! " Toph blackmailed then stomped on the ground. A quake was felt and heard, the sleeping beauties and Momo ignoring it, and a cylindrical shape of earth rose where Sokka is sleeping and it goes higher and higher. Toph smiled as she looked up.

" Okay, Okay! I'm awake! SEE? " Sokka said.

" _Ohkay_. " She grinned and stomped again, the land that rose quickly went down. The sleeping girls were ignoring it again.

" Now what? You woke me up because of nothing? " Sokka scratched his head.

" We'll be hunting. I'll get the wild fruits, Sokka is for the meat and you both go to the river and catch some...fish. " Aang said, as he went off wit his improvised glider.

" Oh well, better get going. " Sokka said as he went off.

" Shall we? " Zuko asked.

" Gladly. Now come on to the shortcut I made! " Toph exclaimed again, as they went down to the stairs she made.

They ran downstairs and a little more further more, to the river.

" Here's the equipment. " he said, throwing the spear. Toph catched it.

" Yeah. Let's do this. The one with the most fish wins! Are you in it? "

" Yeah. " he agreed.

" Ready..."

" Set... "

" GO! "

...And yet, they did have so many fish on their spear for about fifteen minutes. Toph has the most fishes, so Zuko ate her dust (not literally.) They have returned to the temple, bringing home the catches that will last a lifetime.

" Oh, you two are back. We've been waiting for you. " Suki said.

" Where's Sokka? " Toph immediately asked.

" We don't know. " Katara answered.

" Is Aang back? " Zuko asked.

" Yeah. Some good wild and edible fruits will make the day better. Want some? " Aang said, with a full fruit basket in his hands.

" Great. Here's the fish you asked for. " She said, munching on an Apple.

" Whoa! This can last until ten years! " Suki said in surprise.

" Yeah. So we better cook this. " Katara said. " While Sokka's not yet here. "

Zuko made the fire, and Katara cooked the fish and also some rice. After a few minutes, the fish was ready. After another 10 minutes, the rice was ready and Sokka arrived.

" Hey hey hey, I smell breakfast! " Sokka said.

" Yes you do. " Katara smiled.

" Wanna Apple? " Toph offered.

" Come on, let's eat." Suki offered.

The group had a wonderful yet heavy breakfast. Fish, fruits and rice. Aang, Zuko, Toph and Katara had their training, leaving the two lovers Suki and Sokka alone. Zuko can't stop laughing when Toph is teasing the airbender and yet can't hit her. Katara made a barrage of ice shards that Aang dodged by his airbending. Zuko's fire techniques was a little useless when Aang turned Katara's ice shards into water and splashed it to Zuko's hands. A little firebending to Toph's feet was done and the Avatar won.

" **OW!** My feet! " Toph said in pain.

" Whoops. " Aang scratched his head.

" Did you took her teasing too serious? " Zuko asked.

Katara rushed to Toph, and used her healing ability. " Zuko, I think Aang did took it seriously. Toph, this may take a little while to heal your feet. "

" Thanks. But anyway, great job Twinkle-toes. You're improving to use all your bending powers. "

Aang left Toph and Zuko alone with a "Thanks", and went to Katara.

" He's improving, isn't he.. " Zuko said.

" Yeah. He really is. " Toph said. " Is the fountain there? " she pointed to the fountain.

" Yes. Let's go there. " Zuko said with a smile on his face, carried the blushing Toph to the fountain.

" When my feet are hurt, I put them to the water. Water also fascinates me, putting earth aside. "

" Really? " Zuko asked. He sensed quickly that something is wrong. " Toph, I'll be back. "

" O-Okay.. "

" Aang! Azula is here! Keep the important stuff inside the temple. Also, call Sokka and Suki. I'll go to Toph. " the scarred firebender warned.

" You heard him, Katara. Please. "

" Okay. "

By the midair on the Fire Nation airship, Azula had her nasty smile with her. She went there and used firebending as if she's a jet plane. She landed dramatically, and aimed to the fountain where Toph is. He hadn't heard Zuko's warning clearly, yet her 'sight' wasn't back because her feet are still hurt.

" Zuko, without your Mei, you're hitting now is the former heiress to the Bei Fong estate. Now I'm literally hitting her. " Azula said to herself as she fired.

" Toph! " Zuko shouted, as he ran to Toph.

" Zuko? What's...what's happening? " she asked. Azula's fire had hit the ceiling that is directly facing the fountain. He grabbed the blind bandit as he did a home run, amd embracing her from the falling debris.

Toph's feet were already healed. She stood up, and slided her right foot. " Zuko, Aang, Katara! Formation! Suki, if you know where to strike Azula's weak spot then do so! Sokka, keep her distracted! Everyone got me? "

" Roger that. " Sokka replied. " Suki, let's try our best to keep Azula distracted. "

" Right. " she nodded.

" Oh look! Blind girl's had the game plan! Looks like I need to chang my strate-_hunh_! " Azula was cut off when Sokka's boomerang cut her hair on the left and wounded her face.

" Good work boomerang! Suki, Katara! Your turn! " the Wang Fire said, catching his boomerang.

" You first. " Katara said. " I have a better idea. Zuko, fire! "

Suki ran as fast as she could, dodging Azula's attacks. Zuko is shooting fireballs to her younger sister, but Azula's good in dodging.

" Phew. She's good... " Suki told him. " ..But I'm better. Toph, meteorite! "

" On it! " Toph shouted. She raised her two hands heavily, and formed a huge boulder then kicked it towards Azula's direction. Zuko added fire to the boulder. Katara distracted her by using bloodbending. When the mix of earth and firebending was near her, Katara released Azula and an explosion was heard. Azula is still alive. She firebended the rock and it became ashes.

" We shall see each other again, dear Zuko. Until next time. " she said her final remark.

" Don't even bother to come back. "

" Oh, but I will. Next time, your _girlfriend_ will be the next! " She said with an evil laugh as the Fire Nation airship fled.

" _Girlfriend?_ " Zuko asked. " Who is it, Mei? "

" Think that she meant Toph. " Aang shrugged.

Toph was speechless.

" Maybe not. " Katara said.

The Blind Bandit ran away from their sight. " Toph, I was just kidding! " Aang said.

Tears ran out from her eyes. She ran down to the stairs, and to the river. When they fished there a while ago, it was just calm. But now, the currents are very strong just like her feelings.

" _Toph, get a grip of yourself. Please_. " She thought, as she tried to stop herself from crying but it has no use. Her tears just fell from her grey eyes to to the river.


End file.
